3'8 HUNTING. 



marshes down to the Solent. When we got there, we found the 

 hounds swimming the salt water, and I was asked what could be 

 done. The only thing I could suggest was ' to get a steamer and 

 cast for him on the opposite shore.' I think you will agree with 

 me, after what I have now related, that you and I must feel how 

 little we know what this wild animal is really capable of doing ; I 

 say it is like music, we shall never arrive at the bottom of it. 

 Another remarkable thing has happened to me this season. On 

 August 26 I met at Dulverton, drew up the Bade, found near 

 Bradley Ham ; had a capital turn and killed. Slept at Withypool, 

 and met at Winsford the following morning at six. Drew down 

 to the junction of the Quarm and Exe ; here I took a trail, and 

 before reaching the old abbey at Barlinch, the hounds had a 

 rattling scent on both sides of the river. I arrived at the con- 

 clusion that it must be a brace of otters, but no otter was gazed at 

 least for an hour. While we were working him with some very 

 pretty hunting on the weir pool, I heard a view-holloa below in the 

 mill stream, and rushed down with only three couple of hounds at 

 my heels. The rest of the pack remained working in the weir, 

 and at that very moment forced their otter to land through the 

 cover above, being close at him and of course the field with them. 

 This I knew nothing of at the time ; however, I stuck to my otter 

 with the three couple and killed her handsomely, the other lot 

 going up the vale like mad, sometimes in the river, and then again 

 on land, till at length they rolled their otter over also about half a 

 mile above. This is the first time I have ever known a pack of 

 otter hounds dividing, each killing their otter. 



But now for the terriers, a most important and indis- 

 pensable adjunct to a pack of otter hounds ; for on every 

 occasion where strong holts or underground drains are met 

 with, on them it will depend whether a trail is to end in a find 

 or not. The process of ejectment, generally a bloody one in 

 close quarters, it is their duty to serve. The terrier, therefore, 

 should be hard, wiry, and by no means too big in size ; other- 

 wise he will not only be unable to work a narrow drain, but 

 by scraping back the earth to get at the otter, he will dam the 

 water behind him, and so, if not rescued, be drowned. 



Like the foxhound, not one terrier in twenty will take 

 kindly to an otter, although the veriest cur will join a worry or 



